The Pittsburgh Steelers have now made several recent practice squad moves official on Tuesday.
As previously reported on Tuesday, the Steelers signed outside linebacker Ryan Anderson and tight end Rodney Williams to their practice squad. To make room for those two players the team released tight end Justin Rigg and wide receiver Jaquarii Roberson from the practice squad.
Anderson was obviously needed because of the Sunday pectoral injury suffered by starting outside linebacker T.J. Watt that figures to keep him sidelined for at least the next four weeks and possibly longer. Heading into Tuesday, the Steelers only had one outside linebacker on their practice squad and that was Delontae Scott.
As for the change of tight ends on the practice squad, that was an unexpected move. The team had just recently signed Riggs ahead of Week 1. Riggs, however, is more of a blocking tight end while the newcomer Williams is more of a move tight end. Maybe that move was made to help the scout team better prepare to play the New England Patriots on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.
Like Riggs, Roberson was a new player to the Steelers as he was signed to the practice squad just ahead of Week 1. Him being let go is probably related to Steelers starting wide receiver Diontae Johnson being recovered from his shoulder injury that he had suffered in the team’s preseason finale. Johnson played on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals and looked no worse for wear after being limited in a few practices last week.
